From the New York Times best-selling author Neil Gaiman comes a brand new hardcover collection, featuring two magical and disturbing stories lushly adapted to comics by veteran painter Michael Zulli (The Last Temptation). Newly rewritten by Gaiman for this graphic novel, these two ominous stories from the author's award-winning prose, Smoke and Mirrors: Short Fictions and Illusions, feature animals and people not being quite what they seem. In "The Price," a black cat like a small panther arrives at a country home and is soon beset by mysterious and vicious wounds. What is he fighting every night that could do this, and why does he persist? "The Daughter of Owls" recounts an eerie old tale of a foundling girl who was left-with an owl pellet-as a newborn on the steps of the Dymton Church. She was soon cloistered away in a local convent, but by her fourteenth year word of her beauty had spread-and those who would prey upon her faced unforeseen consequences.

What a wonderful surprise - thank you! At the moment I'm actually making my way through Gaiman's books. I've just finished listning to 'Coraline' and read 'The Graveyard Book' a couple of months ago. I now have 'Stardust', 'Neverwhere' and 'American Gods' ready to be added to the MP3-player. It's been a while since I read a comic but flipping through the book I can already say that I'm quite fascinated by the drawings.

Read my first graphic novel in I don't know how many years. My favourite of the stories was the one with the cat. Probably because I've a cat myself and I've just reread an old favourite from my childhood about a witch and her evil cat, thus it was nice to read a story where the cat was the hero fighting evil.

The book is now reserved for a fellow bookcrosser who I think will enjoy this book as I suspect the person of being a Gaiman-fan.

I confess, I'm not a Gaiman fan and usually I hardly ever read graphic novels. But I was thrilled to receive this! A totally unsuspected RABCK - thank you so much for thinking of me, DitteL. And thanks for all the cards! I have read only The Graveyard Book up to now (really liked it), and there are other Gaiman books on my shelf because I picked them up on sales or got them for other BCers on whose wishlists I spotted them. This one seems very promising - I like cats, too, and I like weird stories. And the drawings look great.

I have read the first story "The Price" in a book of short stories before, but the illustrations make the story work so much better. I think this book shows how adding pictures can greatly enhance a story.

Note: Order is subject to change based on shipping preferences and others joining the bookray.

How the bookring works: * Someone will PM you for your address, PM them back and provide your address * When you receive the book, please make a journal entry letting everyone know that you received it * Put the book at the top of your TBR pile (under other rings/rays that arrived first) * Read the book (take your time and enjoy the book, don't feel rushed to finish it but try to get it out to next reader within four weeks) * When the end is in sight, check the book's journal and PM the next person to get their address * Finish the book, make another journal entry and let everyone know what you thought of the book * Send the book to the next person on the list (please use the cheapest shipping method available) * Make a controlled release using your location as the release place(you the sender)to make the book's travel map consistent. Don't use "posted as bookray" or similar as this will not add to the books map.

Please feel free to PM me at any time with questions

Journal Entry 23 by kiwiinengland at Manchester, Greater Manchester United Kingdom on Thursday, May 20, 2010

I am posting this off to the first person in this ring, via Royal mail. Enjoy!

Journal Entry 24 by Lottiotta at Swansea, Wales United Kingdom on Thursday, May 27, 2010

Finally! :D I've not been able to leave a journal entry for a couple of days, because of the site 2.0 weirdness. I am happy to report that this book arrived a couple of days ago, and it looks awesome. It's next on my to-read pile, which you can stalk on my goodreads page.

Thank you very much for sending this my way!

28th May 2010 Just read this one, very speedy and beautiful read. I think I actually prefer the graphic novel versions of both of these stories, they work so well visually that the beautiful artwork enhances the story rather than just alters it.

I'm about to PM Flambard for an address to post this on. :)

31st May 2010 Just PMed Flambard again, as I was worried that the PMs got lost in the site updating mess. :) The "Send me a copy" box was unchecked!

Journal Entry 25 by Lottiotta at To the next participant, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Monday, June 07, 2010

Released 7 yrs ago (6/7/2010 UTC) at To the next participant, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Posted to Flambard, who's also in the UK. :) I hope you like it!

Journal Entry 26 by Flambard at Horsham, West Sussex United Kingdom on Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Was waiting for me when I got back from holiday! Many thanks for passing it on Lottiotta!

Journal Entry 27 by Flambard at Horsham, West Sussex United Kingdom on Sunday, June 20, 2010

A neat little Gaiman. Two interesting stories, but leaves you wanting more! Ready to pass on now!

Journal Entry 28 by Flambard at -- Controlled Release, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- United Kingdom on Sunday, June 20, 2010

Released 7 yrs ago (6/20/2010 UTC) at -- Controlled Release, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- United Kingdom

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

To vampirequeen

Journal Entry 29 by vampirequeen at Aberystwyth, Wales United Kingdom on Tuesday, June 22, 2010

I'm terribly sorry for the hold-up everyone. I know it's no excuse but work got in the way and BC kinda got neglected for a while. I will send this book off at the weekend so it will soon be moving again.

The book arrived a couple of days ago, but I've been fighting my annual bronchitis/sinus infection so I've been a bit slow in journaling. I will pm the next reader and get this back on the road within the week.

Sorry I thought it has been journaled already. Maybe a site error or maybe I left the browser before saving my journal. Sorry to give a scare but the book is safely here. The style is a bit different than I expected but beautiful. It should be a quick read.

Sorry for the delay. I just sent the book to Australia and I hope it will arrive in about 2 weeks.

Thanks for sharing!!

Reference: Correo Argentino RR636693089AR

Journal Entry 48 by D-face at Canberra, Australian Capital Territory Australia on Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Arrived today from Argentina! Looking forward to the read! Thank you elidanora!

Two haunting short stories from Neil Gaiman translated beautifully into graphic novel format by Michael Zulli. This is a very thin book which the whole family read individually in an evening with dark delight. The ominous story telling of Gaiman is wonderfully paired with the artwork of Zulli to create the characters of the stories. In the first each cat and the shape shifting devil are beautifully rendered and in the second the many owls and their perspective overlooking the ruined convent bring added depth to the fairly simple story.

Here in Australia the dominant book chain Angus & Robertson and their partner Borders recently went into financial administration and many of their stores were closed. At the time I held some gift vouchers which I exchanged for some Neil Gaiman novels which I am looking forward to reading, they are currently lurking in the basket next to my bed full of dark promise.

Thank you KiwiinEngland for organising this international bookring.

Journal Entry 49 by D-face at Canberra, Australian Capital Territory Australia on Tuesday, April 19, 2011

I've got a hold of Jonniboi and he's asked me to send it on slow post because he's got a few other rings/rays to read before he gets to this one, so I'll do that this week some time.

Journal Entry 56 by Jonniboi at Birmingham, West Midlands United Kingdom on Saturday, August 06, 2011

wow there is a lot of journalers who's read this book, I'm looking forward to being the next one! I received this today, and can't wait to read, I have 3 other books infront of this, which I'm hoping to finish this week. Then on the 13th I'm going on holiday for 2 weeks, so I won't be able to send the book to the next person until I get back home, so it may be delayed a bit, but I will send it as soon as I get back! Can't wait to read :O)

Journal Entry 57 by Jonniboi at Birmingham, West Midlands United Kingdom on Tuesday, August 09, 2011

I had previously read these stories in a collection of short stories by Neil Gaiman called "Smoke and Mirrors". I don't think they made much sense to me back then. I loved "The Price" but wasn't too sure of "The Daughter of Owls"

Here's what I initally thought about the stories: ~The Price~ This one saddens me, I feel really sorry for the black cat and the Narrator should have tried to save him ~The Daughter of Owls~ A nice little story, but the language didn't help, too complicated for me

But my perceptions have changed. Here's now what I think (thanks to the pictures): ~The Price~ I loved the story the first time, now it's better with pictures, and is better than I could have imagined, I still feel awfully sorry for the cat, and the narrator definitely could have helped, poor cat :( ~The Daughter of Owls~ Still not sure what to make of this, although it's a good story, it is pretty weird at times, and the language doesn't help much, but I liked it better than I did before!

Thank you for this, I'm going on holiday for 2 weeks soon, but as soon as I get back I'll definitely send it on it's way! :O)

Journal Entry 58 by Jonniboi at Birmingham, West Midlands United Kingdom on Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Released 6 yrs ago (9/14/2011 UTC) at Birmingham, West Midlands United Kingdom

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Sent this book off, it's now in the post! Sent to the next person in ine, I'm really sorry it took me so long to send off, I've just been really busy lately, but it's on it's way now :O)

Journal Entry 59 by Vekiki at -- somewhere in Greater London --, Greater London United Kingdom on Saturday, September 17, 2011

It's here with me

I've also read Smoke & Mirrors, quite recently too, so it will be intersting to see the stories in a different form

Journal Entry 60 by Vekiki at -- somewhere in Greater London --, Greater London United Kingdom on Friday, September 30, 2011

Released 6 yrs ago (9/30/2011 UTC) at -- somewhere in Greater London --, Greater London United Kingdom

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

hmm... i have to be honest I was not a massive fan of teh art work here. I thought the images would ahve worked much better as bigger panels - as this way you could noy really see the texture in them. But great, strong stories, and some interesting image ideas In the post to dutch-book now

Did enjoy the stories. Poor little Black Cat. I didn't care for the drawings though. But I can totally see and appreciate the skill used for this. Book will travel on this afternoon. Book has a little damage which I've already told Kiwiinengland. So careful, when reading.

Creatures of the Night landed in my mailbox this morning. At this point, having less free time than usual, I was thrilled to see that it was a graphic novel. I'm currently reading Sandman and will be finished with that soon. This one is next in line. :)

Read this little book last night before going to bed. I loved the drawings, and really enjoyed reading The Prince in graphic form. The other story ended a bit too abruptly for my taste, but Gaiman likes to occasionally leave some stories hanging so I'm used to that. :) I really enjoyed this read. Thanks, Kiwi, for sharing. Soon contacting the next in line for their mailing address.

Creatures of the Night are now on their way to k00kaburra in USA. Sorry for the slight delay in sending, I was a bit under the weather. As it's Xmas season and the book is travelling to USA, I sent it airmail, so hopefully it won't take too long to get there.

Journal Entry 67 by k00kaburra at San Jose, California USA on Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Looks great, I can't wait to read this one!

I'm so sorry that I've held onto this as long as I have; I lost track of time and didn't realize how long it had been with me until KiwiinEngland reminded me.

Creatures of the Night has two stories, “The Price” and “The Daughter of Owls”. I wonder if these stories have also appeared in short story anthologies? One can never be sure with Gaiman; I know that many of his books, from Neverwhere to Coraline have appeared as both novel and comic book, so it would not be the least bit surprising if these tales come in both forms, too.(Edited to add: As I read through the comments previous Bookcrossers left for this book, it quickly became clear that these stories are both previously published short stories.)

In “The Price”, an unnamed author takes in stray cats at his country home. One cat in particular, a midnight-colored creature called only the Black Cat, showed up about a month ago. As the days go by, the author notices that this cat is fighting something, because it's covered in injuries. He resolves to watch one night with a pair of night-vision binoculars, and he's shocked to see that the adversary of the Black Cat is none other than the Devil itself... This story bothered me, a little bit, because it is so very short and is utterly lacking in resolution. The cat fights the Devil, and it appears the Devil is winning because the cat's taking more and more damage every day, and...? And?? C'mon, the story's not done. I want to know what happens next!!!

“The Daughter of Owls” is a folk tale, supposedly written down in an exchange between two Victorian gentleman called Wyld and Aubrey. (Named for Oscar Wilde and Aubrey Beardsley, I presume.) The narrative, supposedly an old story passed orally between many tellers, involves a foundling child who was left on the steps of a church in post-Reformation England. The only identifier on the babe was a small owl pellet, for which the villagers ostracized her. She grew up locked behind the high walls of an abandoned convent, so isolated that she never even learned to speak. Unfortunately for the poor creature, she was beautiful, and the men of the town decide to pay her a visit and find out just how far you can go with a lovely, voiceless young maiden. I liked this short story more than the first. It was a very traditional sort of fairy tale, but with an especially dark and twisted ending. The painterly style with which the panels were colored used a very dusky, twilight color scheme that matched the tone of the story perfectly.

Journal Entry 68 by k00kaburra at -- BOOKRAY, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- USA on Saturday, January 28, 2012

Released 5 yrs ago (1/28/2012 UTC) at -- BOOKRAY, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- USA

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

The book is now on its way to Izzy5000! I apologize once again for the delay in its travels!

OK, this is just so amusing (or "løye" as Haugtussa would say). The book is back in Norway after travelling the world, and I love to see that it has been visiting some of my friends before the ring started.

As I love Neil Gaiman, I am very much looking forward to read this. Arrived in my mailbox today!

The book arrived at my doorstep two days ago. But I've been having some problems with my internet. (I.e. I haven't been able to get to the BC website and everything else seems to work ... aargh.) So I took the book to work with me! Thanks for sending it my way!!!

A very quick, but great read! 'The Daughter of Owls' was a nice story, more like a traditional fairy tale. But the one that I liked best was 'The Price'. I liked it because of the open ending. Not knowing what is going to happen afterwards can be irritating, but it suited the story here. I also liked it because we used to have cats, and somehow it is always the black ones that end up fighting a lot. I wonder what our Beurnie had to fight ... Thanks for letting me join this ring! I've PM'ed Victoria Wagtail!

09/05/2012: VictoriaWagtail asked to be skipped. PM'ed the next person in line.